Live From Press Row - Storm vs. Sacramento
For the Seattle Storm, Seeing is Believing. Want to enjoy the electricity of at KeyArena even if you're thousands of miles away? storm.wnba.com's Live From the Press Box in-game blog is your best bet. All night and all season long, Kevin Pelton will be bringing you pregame quotes, analysis and observations from the game. E-mail Kevin at stormconnection@sonics-storm.com. Make sure to keep coming back or refreshing so you get the latest content.
Comeback Falls Short
Final: Sacramento 78, Storm 74
The Seattle Storm put together an impressive comeback, outscoring Sacramento 24-16 in the fourth quarter to get as close as one with just over a minute left. Still, Seattle was unable to make the big plays down the stretch and fell short tonight as Sacramento held on for a 78-74 victory. The Storm remains four games back of the Western Conference lead, now shared by Phoenix and San Antonio, and has fallen three games behind the third-place Monarchs pending Friday's rematch in Sacramento.
The outcome should not obscure another insane performance by Lauren Jackson. Jackson put up her eighth 30-point game of the season, tying the WNBA record held by Diana Taurasi from 2006. Jackson shot 10-of-17 from the field, grabbed eight rebounds and blocked seven shots. The Storm was done in by three-pointers (Sacramento 8-for-18, the Storm 3-for-15) and domination by Monarchs on the offensive glass - 17 offensive rebounds, including nine by Rebekkah Brunson.
As mentioned above, the Storm will play at the unfriendly confines of ARCO Arena on Friday before returning home Saturday to take on Phoenix in another crucial game. 
Click here to get your tickets to see Diana Taurasi, Penny Taylor, Cappie Pondexter and the Mercury.
Storm Needs a Break
Fourth Quarter: Sacramento 76, Storm 72
There looked to be one when Ticha Penicheiro turned the ball over to Betty Lennox with the Storm down two and a little over 30 seconds left, but Sue Bird missed a jumper from the top of the key and the Storm was forced to foul. Nicole Powell hit two free throws and it's again a four-point game.
Huge Powell Three
Fourth Quarter: Sacramento 74, Storm 70
With the Storm within one, Nicole Powell hits an enormous three-pointer. She had very little airspace, but few players in the WNBA have a quicker release and Powell has long been a clutch performance. Powell has 24 points on 8-of-19 shooting, including four three-pointers. The Storm has a minute even to get back in it.
It's a Ballgame
Fourth Quarter: Sacramento 69, Storm 65
Don't call it a comeback ... or fine, do. The Storm is on a 13-4 run to get within four as we take our final mandatory timeout at the 2:41 mark. Lauren Jackson is headed to the free-throw line for two foul shots with the opportunity to bring the Storm within one possession. Sue Bird has suddenly found the touch, hitting two critical threes, while Jackson has been everywhere. Her seven blocked shots are one shy of her career high, set on Aug. 11, 2002 against Utah, while the Storm's 11 blocks are one shy of the franchise record set in that same game.
The Storm is also creeping up on that magic 70 number ... and this crowd is loving it.
LJ Update
Fourth Quarter: Sacramento 65, Storm 54
A hard fall for Lauren Jackson reminds me that I haven't posted an update on the negative MRI on her right knee.
"The good news is it's not a tear and it's nor more serious," explained Anne Donovan before tonight's game. "It's definitely pounding and it's typical for most players at this time of the season."
Given the Storm's schedule from here on out, it's unlikely that Jackson will see the swelling she has experienced in the knee abate. Fortunately, no one in the league is better able to play through pain than Jackson. About the only way you can tell she is ailing is the occasional grimace after a fall.
"She's bothered," said Donovan. Not that it stops her from having 22 points and seven boards thus far.
Energy Shift
Fourth Quarter: Sacramento 65, Storm 54
You can feel the energy shifting right now, led by Tanisha Wright, who has played her heart out on defense. Still, the Storm is down 11with a little over seven minutes to play and needs some points.
Storm Needs Comeback
End Third Quarter: Sacramento 62, Storm 50
Fortunately, the fans at KeyArena ultimately did get a chance to sit down, but the Storm still mustered just 11 points in the third quarter and was outscored 19-11 in the period as Sacramento takes a 12-point lead to the final 10 minutes of play. The Storm will need an impressive comeback to pull this one out tonight.
Lauren Jackson has 20 points, but she's not getting a lot of help. She scored eight of the Storm's 11 points in the third quarter. Sue Bird has struggled with the pressure applied by Sacramento's guards, who have long been a nemesis for her. Bird is 1-for-7 from the field tonight for four points, though she does have five assists.
Monarchs Clinic
Third Quarter: Sacramento 52, Storm 39
Sacramento has totally dominated the first three-plus minutes of this second half, outscoring the Storm 9-0 to push the lead to 13 points and draw an Anne Donovan timeout. The Storm is 0-for-5 from the field with a pair of turnovers, meaning the fans will still be standing, awaiting the first score of the half for the Storm.
Foul trouble has become a serious issue. Janell Burse and Wendy Palmer are both on the bench with four fouls. Donovan may have to go small for some minutes against the Monarchs when they put Nicole Powell at power forward in their own small lineup.
Four-Point Margin at Half
Halftime: Sacramento 43, Storm 39
6-2 surge for the Storm to end the first half, which has them back within four points. Sacramento's field-goal percentage is back down to a more reasonable 47.2% and Nicole Powell did not score in the second quarter. At the same time, the Storm did get a little sloppy late in the first half as Sacramento ratcheted up the pressure with Scholanda Robinson - as pesky a defender as there is in the WNBA - in the game.
Lauren Jackson had another brilliant half, scoring 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting and making several great plays. It's a familiar story. The Storm has to defend better in the second half to pull out this game.
Monarchs in Control
Second Quarter: Sacramento 41, Storm 33
The Storm continues to struggle to stop the Monarchs tonight. Offensive rebounds have become a serious issue. Sacramento has seven of them to just eight defensive boards for the Storm. The Monarchs are the best offensive rebounding team in the league and have been for some time, but as a good defensive rebounding team, the Storm is capable of doing better. You do have to tip your cap to Yolanda Griffith, who at 36 remains a force on the glass. Griffith has seven points and a game-high six rebounds thus far tonight.
Title IX Celebrated
Second Quarter: Sacramento 33, Storm 29
This year marks the 35th anniversary of the passage of Title IX, the landmark legislation that mandated equal opportunities for women and can essentially be traced to the formation of the WNBA because of the opportunities it provided female athletes. The Storm celebrated Title IX by hosting a panel discussion before tonight's game. You can watch that panel tomorrow on TVW (Comcast channel 23) at 7:10 p.m.
There are few bigger advocates of Title IX than Storm Coach Anne Donovan, who saw the impact first-hand in terms of the number of scholarship offers she had coming out of high school - a couple hundred as opposed to the two offered to her older sister, Mary, just two years earlier.
"I'm a Title IX baby for sure; graduated high school in '79, so Title IX had been enacted but not really enforced until about my time period," Donovan said before the game. "Since I had four older sisters, this is something I knew was impactful and changed the course of my life as compared to my older sisters. It's legislation that I know has really created opportunities for everybody that's out here now - for our fans to get to see women play and coaches and athletes alike. Title IX is something that is very important to me and it's nice to have a celebration like tonight."
Monarchs Bomb Away
End First Quarter: Sacramento 24, Storm 23
Sacramento comes all the way back after trailing by as many as eight to take a one-point lead after 10 minutes of play. The Storm did not do nearly a good enough job on defense during the quarter, allowing Sacramento hit 55.6% from the field. The Monarchs were 4-of-7 from downtown, including a pair by Nicole Powell. It's a bad sign to shot 60% from the field and trail after one period.
At the same time, I reported this morning in the Insider Preview that the Monarchs are just 4-10 when allowing at least 70 points as opposed to 10-0 when their opponents are held below 70, so maybe a high-scoring game favors the Storm.
Pow-Pow-Powell
First Quarter: Storm 21, Sacramento 21
A 10-2 run has tied the game for the Monarchs. Nicole Powell continues to lead Sacramento on offense, hitting a three-pointer and following it with a layup in transition that forced Storm Head Coach Anne Donovan to take a quick timeout. The Storm has been guilty of forcing shots on offense. A lot of them have gone down - the Storm is still shooting 66.7% from the field - but misses like the one a moment ago by Iziane Castro Marques have resulted in Sacramento fast breaks because the Storm's offense is not balanced and ready for the shot attempts.
A Million Strong
First Quarter: Storm 14, Sacramento 9
During this first timeout, the Storm celebrated passing the 1,000,000 all-time mark in attendance with tonight's crowd. The fans at KeyArena have seen some very good Storm offense in the early going. Seattle has hit 5-of-8 from the field to lead 10-2 before a Sacramento run led by Nicole Powell has cut the deficit to five points.
When the Storm has played well against the Monarchs, it has often meant Betty Lennox has played well and she's hit a pair of one-hand runners in the early going. The Storm also may have benefited from some close calls in their favor. I know the Sacramento broadcast crew, sitting to my right, feels that way.
Busy Pregame
Pregame
A presentation before tonight's game. Lauren Jackson received the gameball from Friday's game, celebrating her 4,000th career point. Tonight's national anthem was performed by Stephanie Osmer, who has worked with the Storm's training staff throughout this season.
LJ for MVP
Pregame
Before tonight's game, coaches on both sides were asked about Lauren Jackson's MVP chances.
"Is there anything to debate?" Anne Donovan asked rhetorically. "I just don't think there's anything to debate."
Long-time Storm Assistant Coach Jenny Boucek, now running her own team in Sacramento, made sure to heap credit on Becky Hammon and Tamika Catchings before turning her attention to Jackson.
"You could not argue with Lauren," Boucek said. "There is absolutely no one, I think, that would argue with her getting it."
Boucek was here for Jackson's emergence as a dominant superstar and her first MVP award back in 2003 and is thrilled to see Jackson healthy and playing so well.
"I'm so happy for her," said Boucek. "She's definitely the best player in the world and just going to continue to get better."
Signing On
Pregame
There's a buzz in KeyArena as we prepare for the Storm and the Sacramento Monarchs. National TV - a special ESPN Classic broadcast - is in the house and there are "LJ for MVP" cards in the stands along with plenty of posters celebrating Lauren Jackson's MVP candidacy. With eight games left, they are all big ones, but with the Storm just two games back of Sacramento in the Western Conference standings, tonight is critical.
Live From Press Row Archive